Soap dispensers



June 8, 1965 s. HAMMER ETAL SOAP DISPENSERS m m v M M/Z. E

m f a m Y a W 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 s. HAMMER ETAL SOAP DISPENSERS June 8, 1965 Filed Nov. 5. 1

6 2W% 0 MW Z I. 5W B 3 1 1m r if Z 1 HTTOE/WEY United States Patent 3,187,954 SOAP DISPENSERS Samuel Hammer, New York, N.Y., and Burton L. Feinson, 275 Whitman Drive, New York, N.Y.; said Hammer assignor to said Feinson Filed Nov. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 149,921 Claims. (Cl. 222-153) The present invention relates to soap dispensers of the type adapted to be attached to a wall.

In the conventional type of soap dispenser, the soap container with attached dispenser valve is supported on a wall over a wash basin with the soap container exposed and projecting from said wall. .A soap container so projectively exposed is unsightly and may be subject to vandalism or even unintentional destruction or injury.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved soap dispenser device, which can be easily installed in position with its soap container concealed behind a protective wall, and which can be releasably locked in position behind such a wall against unauthorized tampering.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a soap dispenser wall installation including a soap dispenser device of the improved type described, and a new and improved support structure for said soap dispenser device adapted to be concealed behind an upright wall and designed to be secured to part of the wall frame or structure.

In accordance with certain features of the present invention, there is provided a soap dispenser unit comprising a mounting wall plate, a soap container secured to the rear side of the plate to form a unit therewith, and a dispenser valve of the plunger type secured to said wall plate to form a unit therewith and projecting forwardly of said mounting plate with its plunger and discharge spout in front of said plate. This dispenser valve extends through the mounting wall plate and has an inlet on the rear side of said plate in feed communication with the interior of the soap container. In conjunction with this soap dispenser unit, there is employed a support fixture desirably in the form of a case adapted to be inserted into an opening in the wall and to be secured to a wall supporting frame directly or indirectly. The soap dispenser unit described is adapted to be inserted through the opening in the wall with the soap container located inside and secured to said support fixture and with the wall plate fixed against the wall opening in position to decoratively cover said wall opening and to conceal said soap container. The soap dispenser unit so set up can be keylocked against unauthorized tampering and presents an ornamental appearance in which the soap container is concealed from view. The soap dispenser unit can by an easy manipulation be unlocked and removed from the support fixture set into the wall and from the wall for soap refill.

Various other objects, features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a front face view of the soap dispenser unit embodying the present invention and shows said dispenser unit in wall installed locked position;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section of the installed soap dispenser unit taken on lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the soap dispenser unit, the support fixture and the wall supporting structure in a relationship to show their manner of installation;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section of the installed soap dispenser unit taken on lines 4-4 of FIG. 1, but shown on a larger scale;

FIG. 5 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation showing the soap dispenser unit being inserted into the support fixture on the wall support structure in the process of installing the soap dispenser unit in place;

FIG. 6 is a detailed section showing the upper releasable latch connection between the soap dispenser unit and the support fixture in installed position of the soap dispenser unit; and

FIG. 7 is a detailed section showing the lower releasable latch connection between the soap dispenser unit and the support fixture in installed position of the soap dispenser unit.

Referring to the drawings, the soap dispenser unit 10 embodying the present invention comprises a liquid soap container 11 desirably in the form of a metal tank of rectangular outline opening at the top and secured to the rear side of a wall mounting plate 12 desirably of metal. The soap container 11 is shown with two side walls 13 and a rear wall 14 constituting a U-shaped one-piece member and secured to the rear side of the wall mounting plate 12, so that this mounting plate constitutes the front wall of the container. For securing the U-shaped container unit 13, 14 to the wall mounting plate 12, the front ends of the side walls are olfset to form flanges 15, which are spot welded or otherwise secured to the rear side of the Wall mounting plate. The bottom wall of the soap container 11 is formed by a dished or flanged plate 16 with peripheral flanges 17 spot welded or otherwise sealably secured to the peripheral container walls 13 and 14, and to the wall mounting plate 12.

The soap container and mounting wall plate structure described is economical to manufacture, but if desired, as far as certain aspects of the invention are concerned, the mounting wall plate 12 need not form a wall of the container 11 as described, but may constitute a piece separate from said container but secured to the front wall thereof.

Secured to the mounting wall plate 12 is a plunger dispenser valve 20 of well-known type, such as is shown in US. Patent No. 2,067,601, comprising a tubular housing 21 having a hand operable spring-pressed plunger 22 with a discharge spout 23 and an inlet 24 leading into the interior of said housing. The valve 20 is mounted on the wall plate 12 with an annular shoulder 25 on the housing 21 abutting the front side of the plate so that part of the valve including the plunger 22 and the spout 23 are on the front side of the plate. The valve 20 extends snugly through the hole in the wall plate 12 and its housing 21 has a threaded portion 26 to receive a nut 27, and if necessary also a lock nut (not shown) by which the valve is firmly secured to the wall plate. The rear end section of the valve housing 21 projects rearwardly of the mounting plate 12 and has its inlet 24 connected to a feed pipe 28 extending into the container 11 for drawing up successive batches of liquid soap through the valve 20 for discharge through the spout 23 in responseto corresponding manipulations respectively of the plunger 22.

Means are provided for indicating when the soap container 1 1 is full or empty. For that purpose there is provided a level responsive device including a float 30 of cork or similar buoyant material connected to the lower end of an upright bar 31, the upper end being pivotally connected to an arm 32 fulcrummed to a bracket 34 secured to the rear side of the wall mounting plate 12. The pivotal connection between the 'bar 31 and the arm 32 can be effected by an offset 35 at the upper end of said 'bar passing through a slot 36 in said arm, and the arm canb-e similarly piv-otally supported on the bracket 35 by an offset 37 at one end of the bracket passing through a slot 38 in said arm. The bracket offset 37 is reduced in width in relation to the width of the body of the bracket 35 to form shoulders 3-9 on said bracket on which the arm 32 seats.

Since the level indicating device described forms part of the self-contained .soap dispenser unit, a bracket 40 secured to the inside of the rear wall 14 of the container 11 limits the extent of forward movement of the bar 31 to prevent its disengagement from the arm 32, during the operation of installing the soap dispenser unit or removing it from the case 52, as shown in FIG. 5. i

The level of liquid soap in the soap container 11 when full and when empty is indicated by a tab offset 45 at the front end of the arm 32 movable in front of a window opening 46 in the upper section of the wall plate 12, the upper part of said tab offset containing the indicia F indicating that the soap container 11 is full, and the lower part of said tab offset containing the indicia E indicating when the soap container is empty. The level responsive device operates automatically to display either the indicia F or the indicia B through the window opening 46 according to the level of the soap in the container, so that an attendant may be apprised of the necessity of refilling the soap container.

The construction so far described comprising essentially of the soap container 11, the wall mounting plate 12, the valve 20, and the float device 30, 31, 32, 34, form a selfcontained unit which may be set up or installed as such into the wall when the container 11 is full or may be removed from the wall as such to permit the container to be refilled when empty.

In the drawings, there is shown a wall 50 which may constitute the finished wall of a washroom located over a Wash basin and comprising, for example, the usual lath structure covered with a layer of tiles. This wall 50 has a rectangular opening 51 for the reception of a buck, frame or support fixture 2 into which the soap dispenser unit may be set or installed and to which it may be releasably secured. The support fixture 52 is constructed in the form of a rectangular open case structure and is designed to be permanently secured to a wall supporting frame or structure 53 located behind the wall 50 near the opening 51. In the specific form shown in the drawings, this wall supporting structure 53 comprises a pair of jambs or studs 54 of wood, which are secured to the inside of the wall 50, as for example by wood screws 55, fastened to the wood or lath part of the wall, and which flank the opening 51.

' The case 52 is desirably made of sheet metal and is shown comprising a sheet 56 bent in U form to define a top wall 57, a rear wall 58 and a bottom wall 60. The ends of this sheet 56 are offset to form shouldering flanges 61 and 62 respectively abutting the front face of the wall 50 above and below the opening 51 in installed position of the case 52. Secured to each side of the sheet 56 to form the corresponding side Wall of the case 52 is a sheet 63 provided with a plurality of oblique outwardly tapering depressions 6 4 terminating in respective holes 65 to receive wood screws 66. These depressions 64 are inclined in relation to the plane of the wall 51! to permit the screws 66 to be conveniently fastened obliquely into the jambs 54 fromthe front of the wall 50 and from the opening 51.

In some cases, it may not be desirable to provide jambs 54 on the sides of the wall 50 for anchoring the case 52 in place in the manner described, as for example, where the wall has already been installed and it is desired to break through the existing wall structure and modify it to receive the soap dispenser unit of the present invention, In that case, the case 52 is designed to be anchored in place either through screw connections 66 to the jambs 54 in the manner described, where such jambs are provided, or by anchoring to a mass of cementitious or other settable bonding material, :such as mortar, placed in the opening 51 behind the wall 50.

To permit anchorage in the latter manner, the sheets 63 forming the side Walls of the case 52 are dished or have their edges turned outwardly and are set with respect to the sheet 56 defining the top, rear and bottom walls of said case, so that the edges of these sheets Where they come together conjointly form projecting flanges 67. These flanges 67 are provided with V-notches 68, so that when it is desired to install the case 52 in place in the absence of the jambs 54, a plastic body of cementitious or other suitable settable bonding material is placed in the opening 51 behind the wall 50 and the case is inserted through the opening and against this body. The case 52 as it is pushed against the plastic body will cause this body to flow around and into the notches 68. When the plastic body dries or sets, the case 52 is permanently and firmly retained in position in the opening 51.

The front edges of the sheets 63 are offset to form flanges 70 which are in face to face contact with the flanges 61 and 62 on the sheet 56. The sheets 56 and 63 are so thin that the flanges 61, 62 and 7 0 are almost in the same plane and conjointly form a shouldering border rim for abutment against the wall 50.

The case 52 is intended to remain permanently in place framed around the inside of the-opening 51, but the soap dispenser unit 10 is designed to be removably secured to said case. For releasably latching the lower end of the soap dispenser unit .10 to the case 52, the bottom wall 60 of the case is provided with a pair of catches 73 formed by slitting and bulging said wall, and secured to the rear of the bottom wall of the soap container 11 is an angle 74, one web of which forms a projecting 'lip 75 adapted to be slipped behind and latched to the catches in installed position of the soap dispenser unit 10.

For releasably latching the upper end of the soap dispenser unit 10 to the case 52, there is secured to the front part of the upper wall 57 of the case 52 a catch 76 extending in front of the shouldering flange 61 and inclined forwardly of said flange and of the wall 50 to define between said flange and said Wall a trough into which a latch connected to the soap dispenser unit may be dropped. The wall mounting plate 12 is shaped not only to cover the front shouldering flanges 61, 62 and 70 of the case 52 around the edge of the opening 51 on the outside of the wall, but is designed to provide a latch at its upper end for engagement with the catch 76. To that end, the wall mounting plate 12 is dished or has its marginal sections turned to form a peripheral rim 77 and secured to the upper section of the mounting wall plate 12 on the inside is a plate 80 extending up to said rim and turned downwardly at its upper end to form a latch 81 in the form of a hook or lip. The dimensions of the case 52 and the soap dispenser unit 10 are such that the dispenser unit can be inserted into the case by tilting the soap dispenser unit and moving the unit inwardly towards the inside of the case While straightening out the dispenser unit into upright position, until the wall mounting plate 12 is almost against the wall 50 with the lower projecting lip 75 above and behind the bottom catches 73 and the upper projecting lip 81 above and behind the catch 76. By lowering the soap dispenser unit 10 after reaching this upright position with the wall mounting plate 12against the wall 50, the lips 75 and 81 are dropped behind the catches 73 and 76 respectively, thereby holding the soap dispenser unit in position against withdrawal from the case 52, without reversing the manipulations described for setting up the soap dispenser unit in place. In the latched installed position described, the soap container 11 is entirely enclosed on all sides including the top by the case 52, so that although the container is open at the top, the container including its con tents are kept clean against contamination.

Means are provided for releasably locking the soap dispenser unit 10 in installed position against unauthorized tampering. To that end, the wall mounting plate 12 has a key lock 82 of known construction with a bolt 83 slidable by key operation into and out of a slot 84 in one of the side walls 13 of the soap container 11 and an opening 85 in the adjoining side wall 56 of the fixed case 52, formed, for example, by stamping out a tab from said side wall. When the soap dispenser unit is properly set in the case 52, the slot 84 and the opening 85 are in registry and the lock bolt 83 can be slid into and out of said slot and said opening by key operation of the key for a trade mark, symbol, design or other indicia of origin. The case 52 serves not only as a support fixture for the soap dispenser unit 10, but also serves to protect the soap container 11 and its contents against dirt and contamination.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to a specific embodiment, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited thereto but is to be construed broadly and restricted solely by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a soap dispenser comprising a substantially fiat wall mounting plate, a soap dispenser valve on said plate having a manipulable member for soap dispensing operations located on the forward side of said plate and a discharge spout also on the forward side of said plate, a soap container on the rear side of said plate smaller than said plate so as to be entirely screened by said plate, and a feed connection between said container and the inlet to said valve, said soap dispenser being adapted to be installed with said container extending into an opening in a Wall and with said plate abutting the face of said wall and covering said opening, a support fixture in the form of a case adapted to enclose the soap container in wall installed position of said soap dispenser, means for fixedly anchoring said support fixture inside said wall opening to the frame structure supporting the wall, said support fixture having side walls with holes, said anchoring means including screws adapted to pass through said holes respectively for securing said support structure to the frame structure, said side walls in the regions of said holes being outwardly bulged to hold said screws slanting rearwardly and outwardly with respect to said support fixture, and means for releasably securing said soap dispenser to said support fixture permitting said soap dispenser to be removed from said opening while said support fixture remains anchored inside said opening.

2. In combination, a soap dispenser comprising a substantially fiat mounting plate, a soap dispenser valve on said plate having a manipulable member for soap dispensing operations located on the forward side of said plate and a discharge spout also on the forward side of said plate, a soap container on the rear side of said plate smaller than said plate so as to be entirely screened by said plate, and a feed connection between said container and the inlet to said valve, said soap dispenser being adapted to be installed with said container extending into an opening in a wall and with said plate abutting the face of said wall and covering said opening, a support fixture in the form of a case adapted to enclose the soap container in wall installed position of said soap dispenser, means for fixedly anchoring said support fixture inside said wall opening to the frame structure supporting the wall, and including outside flanges on said support fixture with notches for anchorage to the frame structure by means of a settable bonding material, and means for reeasably securing said soap dispenser to said support fixture permitting said soap dispenser to be removed from said opening while said support fixture remains anchored inside said opening.

3. In combination, a soap dispenser comprising a substantially flat wall mounting plate, a soap dispenser valve on said plate having a manipulable member for soap dispensing operations located on the forward side of said plate and a discharge spout also on the forward side of said plate, a soap container on the rear side of said plate smaller than said plate so as to be entirely screened by said plate, and a feed connection between said container and the inlet to said valve, said soap dispenser forming a self-contained unit adapted to be installed as such with said container extending into an opening in a wall and with said plate substantially against the outer face of said wall and extending over said opening, said mounting plate being large enough 'to entirely cover and conceal said opening in said installed position of said unit, a support fixture small enough to be substantially entirely covered and concealed by said mounting plate in said installed position of said soap dispenser and completely separable from said soap dispenser, means for fixedly anchoring said support fixture inside said wall opening, and means for securing said soap dispenser to said support fixture in said installed position with said mounting plate covering and concealing said anchoring means, and releasable to permit complete separation of said soap dispenser from said support fixture for container refilling operation, said releasable securing means comprising latch means for automatically locking said unit to said support fixture when said unit is inserted in said wall opening in a predetermined directional manner and for automatically releasing said unit from said support fixture when said unit is moved away from said wall in predetermined directional manner.

4. In combination, a soap dispenser comprising a substantially flat wall mounting plate, a soap dispenser valve on said plate having a manipulable member for soap dispensing operations located on the forward side of said plate and a discharge spout also on the forward side of said plate, a soap container on the rear side of said plate smaller than said plate so as to be entirely screened by said plate, and a feed connection between said container and the inlet to said valve, said soap dispenser forming a self-contained unit adapted to be installed as such with said container extending into an opening in a wall and with said plate substantially against the outer face of said Wall and extending over said opening, said mounting plate being large enough to entirely cover and conceal said opening in said installed position of said unit, a support fixture small enough to be substantially entirely covered and concealed by said mounting plate in said installed position of said soap dispenser and completely separable from said soap dispenser, means for fixedly anchoring said support fixture inside said wall opening, and means for securing said soap dispenser to said support fixture in said installed position with said mounting plate covering and concealing said anchoring means, and releasable to permit complete separation of said soap dispenser from said support fixture for container refilling operation, said means for releasably securing said soap dispenser to said support fixture comprising a catch on the upper forward side of the support fixture adapted to extend along the top edge of the opening over the wall in installed position of said support fixture and forming with the outer face of said wall a trough, and a rim on the upper edge of said mounting plate turned to form a latch in the form of a hook and adapted to be dropped behind said catch into said trough in installed position of said soap dispenser.

5. In combination, a soap dispenser comprising a substantially flat wall mounting plate, a soap dispenser valve on said plate having a manipulable member for soap dispensing operations located on the forward side of said plate and a discharge spout also on the forward side of said plate, a soap container on the rear side of said plate smaller than said plate so as to be entirely screened by said plate, and a feed connection between said container and the inlet to said valve, said soap dispenser forming a self-contained unit adapted to be installed as such with said container extending into an opening in a wall and with said plate substantially against the outer face of said Wall and extending over said opening, said mounting plate being large enough to entirely cover and conceal said opening in said installed position of said unit, a support fixture small enough to be substantially entirely covered and concealed by said mounting plate in said installed position of said soap dispenser and completely separable from said soap dispenser, means for fixedly anchoring said support fixture inside said Wall opening, and means for securing said soap dispenser to said support fixture in said installed position with said mounting plate covering and concealing said anchoring means, and releasable to permit complete separation of said soap dispenser from said support fixture for container refilling operation, said means for releasably securing said soap dispenser to said support fixture comprising catch means on said support fixture in the region thereof behind the plane of said Wall, and a projecting lip on the lower end of said soap dispenser adapted to be slipped behind and latched to said catch means in installed position of the soap dispenser.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,371,193 3/21 Berge 312242 1,885,979 11/32 Bobrick 222153 2,067,601 1/37 Dobkin 222341 X 2,191,918 2/ 40 Stadtfeld 22213 1 2,274,409 2/42 Harbison 222l83 2,501,142 3/50 Reichart 222-5l X 2,848,140 8/58 Garielsen 22251 2,906,578 9/59 Sessions.

3,028,047 4/62 Tuft 22146 X 15 LOUIS I. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A SOAP DISPENSER COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT WALL MOUNTING PLATE, A SOAP DISPENSER VALVE ON SAID PLATE HAVING A MANIPULABLE MEMBER FOR SOAP DISPENSING OPERATIONS LOCATED ON THE FORWARD SIDE OF SAID PLATE AND A DISCHARGE SPOUT ALSO ON THE FORWARD SIDE OF SAID PLATE, A SOAP CONTAINER ON THE REAR SIDE OF SAID PLATE SMALLER THAN SAID PLATE SO AS TO BE ENTIRELY SCREENED BY SAID PLATE, AND A FEED CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID CONTAINER AND THE INLET TO SAID VALVE, SAID SOAP DISPENSER BEING ADAPTED TO BE INSTALLED WITH SAID CONTAINER EXTENDING INTO AN OPENING IN A WALL AND WITH SAID PLATE ABUTTING THE FACE OF SAID WALL AND COVERING SAID OPENING, A SUPPORT FIXTURE IN THE FORM OF A CASE ADAPTED TO ENCLOSE THE SOAP CONTAINER IN WALL INSTALLED POSITION OF SAID SOAP DISPENSER, MEANS FOR FIXEDLY ANCHORING SAID SUPPORT FIXTURE INSIDE SAID WALL OPENING TO THE FRAME STRUCTURE SUPPORTING THE WALL, SAID SUPPORT FIXTURE HAVING SIDE WALLS WITH HOLES, SAID ANCHORING MEANS INCLUDING SCREWS ADAPTED TO PASS THROUGH SAID HOLES RESPECTIVELY FOR SECURING SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE TO THE FRAME STRUCTURE, SAID SIDE WALLS IN THE REGIONS OF SAID HOLES BEING OUTWARDLY BULGED TO HOLD SAID SCREWS SLANTING REARWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID SUPPORT FIXTURE, AND MEANS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING SAID SOAP DISPENSER TO SAID SUPPORT FIXTURE PERMITING SAID SOAP DISPENSER TO BE REMOVED FROM SAID OPENING WHILE SAID SUPPORT FIXTURE REMAINS ANCHORED INSIDE SAID OPENING 